Jump to content

Menu

Recommended Posts

Posted (edited)

I'm sick to my stomach....I scheduled a payment for a credit card and apparently I chose the "pay full balance" option that was just below the "pay minimum amount due" option.   I didn't realize it and it came out of my bank account today.  Almost $1000...and it was ALL of our money :0!     Problem is, DH is in school full time, and working part time...I also work part time...we watch every dime carefully, and squeeze our pennies until they bleed as we scrape by...so this REALLY hurts.    Had I realize it before today I could have cancelled the payment..but we didn't realize until suddenly our debit card was declined today.    When we realized why I immediately called the card company to see if they could refund or stop the payment, but they couldn't do anything since it was in a "pending status"....taken from our bank but yet not credited to the card account yet...too late to stop it yet too early to do any sort of credit. 

 

Also it is a store credit card so it's not like I can just use the card to pay bills instead of the bank account..it is only good at THAT store.  Goodness I have messed up.  The customer service advised me to call back in a day or two when the payment has actually hit the account and they will advise from that point.  

 

So my question...has anyone ever overpaid a credit card by a HUGe amount and able to get a refund rather quickly?   My fear is they will say that I am the one that did it (I did accidently select the pay full balance option) and it WAS owed on the card...so they won't refund it.   I don't think I can dispute at my bank because again, it was something I did, accident or not.  

Tell me good news, please!

Edited by Samiam
Posted

I have overpaid, but the only thing I got was a credit.  I had the option of paying the balance in full or the amount on the monthly statement.  Since I pay every week or two (we use it only for gas, and I pay directly after I fill the car), the balance in full was less.  I accidentally clicked the "monthly statement" option which was more than the balance.  The only thing that happened was I had a negative balance for another week.

 

I am so sorry!  I hope it works out better for you!

Posted

I have not experienced this so no advice there... :grouphug: ...sorry. Maybe customer service will surprise you and be able to help.

 

The only other thought I have, not the best to try but if you are desperate and If it is a store card like walmart or lowes or toys r us...they sale prepaid master cards and visas and other gift cards. If you can't pay bills without that money, you could use the store card to buy some prepaid visas and then use them to pay utilities etc. 

  • Like 1
Posted

Can you buy Visa gift cards at that store? If you can then I suppose in a pinch you could buy them with the store card and then use them to pay bills.

 

Hope it works out for you! :grouphug:  

 

Again, everyone else types faster than me. :lol: I've got to keep my cat out of my lap during my forum time!

  • Like 4
Posted (edited)

I did a similar thing once; not quite the same because I overpaid it by a huge amount over the full balance, so it might not work out the same way. 

 

Anyway, I worked with both the bank and the credit card company. The bank reversed the payment so the money went back into my account. Then I redid the payment.  At that point it was late, but the credit card waived the late-payment fee.

 

It took many phone calls and a lot of begging (not fake; I was trying not to cry) to get it done.

 

I was paying in full, so the overpayment was clearly not money the credit card company was owed at that point.   So in that way, it is different.  But get on the phone now, when the first customer service rep tells you that there's nothing they can do, ask them (nicely, always nicely) to please let you talk to a supervisor.  Always acknowledge that it was your fault, not the bank's or the credit card company's.  It still may be too late, or they may not help you since it was money due to them anyway.  But keep trying today. 

 

:grouphug: :grouphug:

 

ETA: this may not work anyway, but it certainly won't if you don't have a good payment record with the credit card company.   So just fyi (I'm not assuming anything). 

Edited by marbel
Posted

Also it is a store credit card so it's not like I can just use the card to pay bills instead of the bank account..it is only good at THAT store.  

 

Oh no. I'm so sorry. My very first thought was to use the credit card to pay your upcoming bills but I see your explanation that it is a store card.  I do think it might be difficult to get a refund since the money was owed (not a payment over the balance).

 

Are you a homeowner? It might be best/easiest to set up a home equity line of credit at your regular bank to cover immediate bills and for future cash flow issues.  Failing this, it may be possible to get a small personal loan (and I would definitely think $1,000 would qualify as small)!  Last resort, use a cash advance from a credit card (this is expensive so really, last resort).

 

Please let us know how it turns out.

Posted (edited)

Yes, I have, but it took MONTHS! In the meantime, I suggest you call them explain that you need a refund. They may do it faster.

 

It took 3-4 months to get my refund when I just let it sit.

Edited by DawnM
Posted

I am sorry you are in this pickle.

 

I did once overpay on a credit card (can't remember why, it was several years ago) but it was something like I owed $100 on it, but I paid $150. They kept the $50 for a month or so before they would issue a check (I think the amount was more like $2 and not $50). I ended up charging that amount in that time and it was never issued. 

  • Like 1
Posted

I have done it more than once with different stores. Each time, I received a refund check in the mail. However, in each case I had overpaid the full balance. It wasn't done automatically--I had to ask. But it wasn't a big deal. I hope the company works with you. I can't see why any company would have a problem doing that. Mistakes happens. Sometimes it's theirs. Sometimes it's ours. If they won't help, definitely call your bank and see if they can reverse it.

Posted

Thanks all!  I am feeling much better today.

 

We went to our credit union to see what help they could offer (we didn't expect much).  As expected, they could not do anything about the payment since it had already cleared, though they did refund the overdraft fee as a courtesy.  

 

I called the credit card customer service again today.  Today they could see the payment had posted.  They advised me to fax in a letter showing proof the payment came from my bank, and requesting a refund.  I did that immediately.  I waited a few hours to give them time to process the fax.  I called in and told my whole story again to the customer service agent, she put me on hold for about five minutes, and came back to tell my her supervisor had approved and processed the refund, and they would Fedex it to me.  I should have it by the end of this coming week.  Thank the Lord!   I was so worried they would say too bad, too sad, they weren't going to give it back since it was owed.  They actually were very kind and gracious about it.   Of course, I am still not totally in the clear until that check is in my hands....I will probably call again on Monday to see if there is a tracking number.  But I have a bit of cash from a few things I had sold earlier in the week.  I get paid from my little part time job on Tuesday so we will have enough funds to put gas in the car and food on the table until our bank account is right.  Bills can't get paid, but I will deal with that once I have the refund in hand.   So I feel like I can breathe again and this WILL be okay...and a BIG lesson learned to be very careful when I submit online payments!!

  • Like 12

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...